Making Memories and Telling Stories

 

We've talked many times about writing your family stories, putting your memories into print form. It's wonderful to tell stories like the photo that shows an elderly woman with her family at the dinner table. Is she quietly listening to their conversation, or is she entering into the chatter and offering stories about her younger years? The young family out on a cold day creating a snowman is making memories for their children.

Telling stories and making memories should be a goal we all strive for. Let's look at telling stories first.

My parents were wonderful storytellers. When we finished eating Mom and Dad enjoyed their after-dinner coffee, and we kids were subjected to many stories about their childhoods, their parents who had died before we got to know them, and their friends. Sometimes, we kids got a bit tired of those stories, but we heard them often enough to remember them as adults. And now that our parents passed on many years ago, those stories are precious gems. I've incorporated many into my writing and have also made a book of family stories. I duplicated it for each of my three brothers and mailed it to the various parts of the country where they lived. It was probably the most appreciated gift I ever gave them. 

Seniors enjoy looking back and relating stories from a lifetime. Some of them won't do so until questioned. If you have older family members, ask them to tell you what life was like when they were growing up, about their siblings and parents, aunts and uncles, their chores, school, dating, and more. If they are past the point of writing the stories, do it yourself or pick another family member, but please have them written somewhere. Those stories are part of your family history.

The picture of the young family out in the snow shows us how memories are created. The little boy will most likely remember the time, or times, his family built a snowman on a cold day in the snow. Someday, he will tell his own children about the fun he had with Mom, Dad, and little sister.

When we attend a wedding or even a funeral, we are making family memories. When we look back, we should tell younger family members about the event. The same with picnics, fishing trips, road trips with a whole family cooped up in the family car, flying to an island resort with the family, the vacation when it rained the entire time, and more. Those memories are the stuff from which family stories are made. Don't waste them. Don't let them sink into your mind so deep that you forget them. 

I really should tell my grandchildren about the time a painter left his paint cans and brushes where a little girl could easily see them and try them out. The painter had finished all the railings and steps on the three floors of the building where the little girl lived. The paint he''d left was for another project and a different color. That little girl pried open a paint can, dipped a brush, and proceeded to paint over the steps in a lovely color instead of the dull gray he'd used. The little girl got in a whale of trouble after the painter yelled at her mother. The little girl never touched paint cans again, and the painter never spoke to her when he saw her.

So, tell the stories and create memories. Share them with other family members. And please write those stories. 

About Reading

 

To read or not to read...That's a silly question. So says our poster for today. For me, it's perfect, but I know that all people are not voracious readers like I am. It's a choice, but I feel like the nonreaders in the world, those who choose to get through school and then never bother with reading again, are missing a great deal.

Sure, they have other interests that keep them busy. and that is their right and their choice. But still...

For those of us who are 'readers,' we have myriad choices within the book world. There are many genres in the fiction world. Romance, Historical, Mystery, Thriller, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, Erotica, and Humor are the general categories. Add Young Adult and Fiction for Kids using the same categories, and you have quite a basketful. 

I know people who read non-fiction exclusively. They have no interest in the fiction world. They read to gain knowledge, to understand political, religious, scientific, and health situations in our world. Also, biographies and autobiographies to understand a well-known person. Some non-fiction readers aim for very technical books about a subject they find of interest. Again, there are many choices in the non-fiction field for YA and children's books.

Add to the non-fiction world, the many travel books and those relating to cooking, and the pile keeps growing. Memoir comes under the non-fiction category, even though many read like a fiction novel. Still, they are true stories. Add atlases and almanacs, encyclopedias, and dictionaries.

What about books that feature photographs with only a caption beneath? Very little to actually read but a great deal to see and appreciate. They grace many coffee tables. 

We read more than books. There are poems and essays of all kinds, opinion pieces in the newspaper, true stories in magazines, all the articles in newspapers, as well as academic publications. Add atlases and almanacs.

We read in the comfort of our homes, while commuting on a bus or train, waiting in airports, on a plane, on the beach, in a coffee house, at the library, on a park bench, and anywhere else where we can sit with a book in hand.

All that we read carries us to other places, brings us knowledge, and pleasure. We learn to read and we read to learn. We read to escape from our everyday concerns. 

I'm a senior citizen, but I remember vividly when my first-grade teacher passed out our first reader. She warned us to leave them on our desk, not to open them yet. When everyone had a book, Miss Curto talked to us about the way to open a new book, about the early pages, and finally, on to the story inside. It came across quite clearly that a book was something special, and what was inside would carry us to great heights. We learned to read with that first-grade reader by following Dick and Jane and their sister, Baby Sally, their pets Spot, the dog, and Puff, the cat. Those names and characters became our friends and led me to many other books over the years. 

Do you appreciate the access we Americans have to books and other reading material? In some countries in the world, a book is a rare find.

I am still a reader as well as a writer. How about you?

A Writing Exercise Can Be Fun

 

Today's post offers a photo prompt writing exercise. You know the drill. Study the photo and write a paragraph or more about what you see. 

You can concentrate solely on making it part of a story or do nothing more than write a descriptive paragraph. Come up with a small slice of life. Does the photo trigger a memory of long ago? Enlarge upon it.

Hone your sensory detail skills. What would you hear if you could step into the photo scene. What do you see? Are there any smells wafting in the air? What about taste and touch? 

Work in a sense of place and perhaps a time period. Is there any weather to be included or not? Does the lack of color play a part in the mood?

We find these things from doing more than looking at the photo. We must take time to study it. Look for the tiny details that you don't notice at first glance.

An exercise like this can lead to a full story or a short memoir piece. It can end up being only an exercise, but it's practice for later writing. 

When you do writing exercises like this one, don't think of it as work. Use your imagination and have fun.

Writers--Never Give Up

 

Today's quote can be condensed into those final three words. Never give up. If you have a plan for your writing journey, you keep moving along the path. You continue learning and writing and rewriting and submitting. You're skipping along with the sun shining and all is well with your writing world.

That's a nice scenario, but a writing journey rarely goes exactly that way. You are going to meet bumps in the road now and then. Sometimes, it feels as if you are hitting one after another. All you end up getting is discouraged. 

When those problems arise, like a piece you felt was excellent that comes back with a rejection, you feel like someone lassoed you and held on tight.  Remember when your children were toddlers and they sat down in the grocery aisle crying? That's what you'd like to do, isn't it? I fear no one would come to soothe you. Instead, they might call the manager and ask to have you removed. So, that is not a solution. 

Hit enough of the bumps in the road, and you're likely to tell yourself you can't take much more. You're done writing forever. The quote tells you to 'go over, under, around, or through.' You can find ways to meet that hitch in your writing life if you don't give up. 

Give up, and all is lost. Consider all that you have put into your writing journey. The hours and the worry, the editing and revising. the time spent finding markets, and the submitting process. Do you really want to stop? Remember that you had the passion once to do all the things mentioned. You can find that desire again as long as you don't give up. 

It might take some time off to help you have the desire to write again, along with some thoughts about your successes and what it is that you loved about the writing process. Did creating something from nothing feel exciting? If it did once, it can do so again. Did you enjoy editing to perfect that first draft? I find it a rather satisfying process. Were you thrilled when you sold a story or poem or essay? Wouldn't you love to experience that feeling again? 

You can try making two lists on one sheet of paper, the Pro and the Con of your writing world. Which one is the longest? That should tell you something.

When problems arise, go over, under, around, or through, but please don't give up. You're part of my writing world just as I am part of yours. I don't want to lose you. 

Trouble Starting New Writing Projects?

 

I want to...  I plan to... I am going to...  I will... How many times have you started a sentence like that either mentally or aloud when thinking about future writing projects? 

How many times have you promised yourself to begin writing your family stories? Or that novel that's been circling your brain for years? Or the picture book that you are sure will be a hit? Or putting your poems into book form? Or writing your memoir? Or revising an old novel?

We think about these writing projects for a long time before we ever take that leap and start writing. We can come up with a lot of excuses for not starting, many of them valid but a lot that are nothing more than avoiding the first step. 

If you fit into this category, know that you are far from alone. This situation occurs for many writers. The big question is WHY?

It's going to be a lot of work. It probably will, but isn't achieving something you've thought about for a long time worth pushing yourself and working hard? 

I'm afraid it won't be any good. That's possible, but you'll never know unless you start, keep writing, and finish. Even if your project does not get published, you'll still know that you achieved something you'd been wanting to do. 

I'm not sure I'm a good enough writer. We only become 'good' writers by practicing our art. We cannot be fine writers if all we do is think about what we want to write. We have to write and rewrite over and over to attain the status of a 'good' writer. We also have to continue to learn about writing by reading, talking with other writers, joining writing groups, and being observant.

I have too many other things in my life to find time to write. We all have 'other' things in our lives. I have always found that we can find time for the things we want to do. The ones we prefer to skip are easy to push in the background. The question here is 'how much desire to start a project is there?'

What if my new project is a roaring success? Can I live up to it with a new project? If you don't try, you'll never know. Don't let thoughts like this hold you back.

Don't squelch your dreams. Scoop up some determination and get started. If not now, when?

Cutting Words from Your Writing

 

The women in my online writing group request help in cutting words almost more than anything else. Many are writing toward a publication or a contest that sets a specific word count. When you are 100- 200 or more words over that number, something must be done.

Stephen King tells us to get rid of every ounce of excess fat. He knows from experience that this is not easy, that it hurts. 

Does cutting 200 words from your story or essay sound impossible? At first, it might seem so, but it's surprisingly easy to slash and slice when you do an edit. I've done it so I know others can, too.

One thing we writers often do is to add unnecessary words--ones like really, usually, even so, and others. There are lists of those unnecessary words. Look for them with a search engine. Many are words we often 'toss in' when we are speaking to someone. When writing, get rid of them.

Another way to cut is to look for sentences with something like this:  I came to a decision... Change it to I decided... Four words gone! That doesn't sound like very many, but take away four here, four there, and it adds up. 

Limit adjectives. Some writers use two or three for one noun. That's a lot for one little noun to bear. One works fine, and that one may make a bigger impression than if you used two or three. You could begin to sound gushy. 

Get rid of adverbs. They describe verbs and, if used, you end up telling rather than showing. Writers often use them to make passive verbs look better. I believe Stephen King also said something about the road to Hell being paved with adverbs. That's not a word for word for word quote. If you find a list of unnecessary words to cut, you'll discover that many are adverbs. 

Long, convoluted sentences can almost always be cut in some way. When a sentence is too long, it can overwhelm the reader to the point that they miss the message in the sentence. Cut as much as possible without losing the meaning. I often find it better to divide those long sentences into two separate ones It doesn't help you cut words but does help with clarity.

'He jumps over the fence that borders the park grounds.' What word can you do without in this sentence? Remove 'that' and change 'borders' to 'bordering' and 'that' is gone. Write 'The poem that I wrote won first prize.' Change it to 'The poem I wrote won first.' I cut 'that' and also 'prize' because 'that' is unnecessary to the meaning of the sentence, and saying 'first' indicates 'first prize.' Try going through a story in your files and circle all the 'that' words. Then go back and see how many of them can be cut without losing the meaning of the sentence. 

Don't introduce a sentence with phrases like:  Instead of, With the possible exception of, The reason why. Those are added words. Without them, the meaning of the sentence is still the same. Some writers use them for emphasis or to help clarify what the main part of the sentence tells us. They are not necessary in most cases.

In sentences where you begin with 'I think' 'I feel' or, 'I believe', those introductory words to the sentence are not needed. If you say 'I believe that cows are the sweetest farm animal.' and change to 'Cows are the sweetest farm animal.' nothing is lost except those two words at the beginning. 

Use active verb forms instead of ones like: Tommy was running to catch his buddies. Say: Tommy ran to his buddies. You've cut three words.

You can cut more words here and there with thought. Oops! I could have eliminated 'here and there' and maybe even 'with thought.' 

One big way to reduce your word count is to look for sections where you have repeated the same thought twice, even if using different words. Some writers do it to make sure their reader understands the point. We need to give our readers credit for being able to decipher what point we are making. Say it once, then cut the rest. You can delete whole paragraphs if one is redundant. 

You will find many ways to cut words when you edit. What seems a near-impossible job turns out to be easier than feared. The benefit comes in the form of stronger writing. 

Write Every Day?

 

For writers, the best way to paraphrase today's poster quote is to say this simple sentence. 'Write something every day.' 

Writers from beginners to pros have heard this advice over and over again. There's a reason for the constant repetition. It works!

If you write on a Saturday, then skip Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, then write again on Thursday and not do so until the Wednesday of the next week, what do you suppose will happen? It becomes easier and easier to spread the time between days that you write until you finally realize you're not writing at all. 

The admonition to write something every day is to help you establish a habit. If you write, even a little, every day (or almost every day), you will not even have to consider whether you have time to write. You will make time, create time. Think about how much time we all waste every day. Take 30 minutes of those wasteful moments and use it to write. 

Some writers have a certain period of the day when they write. Mornings only, after lunch, evenings into the wee hours of the morning. Others do it whenever they can fit it into their schedule of that day. Writers have other things in their daily routines, appointments to keep, and sometimes a lunch with friends or a movie to see. 

I did read an article once that suggested that writers needed to learn to say no to social invitations if they wanted time to write. That might be a bit extreme. I would say accept the social invitations that are the most attractive to you and learn to say no to some others. Or accept the opportunity to be with friends and family and get up an hour earlier or stay up an hour later than usual. Learn to adjust. Your social life is important for mental and emotional health.

Do you have to write a whole story every day? An entire nonfiction article? A draft for a picture book? Of course not. Start a project and build on it a little more each day. If you have a day when you have more time, great. Keep working on your project. 

As the quote tells us, those small daily efforts will end with success. Meaning you have finished a writing project and are ready to submit. 

Writers' Guidelines Are Important

 

HOW MANY LETTERS IN GUIDELINES?

You've written, revised, and edited your story. Now, it's time to send it to an editor with great hope that he/she will want to publish it. You study markets and find several that might work and send your submission. Within a short time, the rejection letter comes. Why? What went wrong? You thought it was a good story. 

One reason might be that you didn't follow the Guidelines the publication specified. You might say "So what? It was a good story; that's all that counts." Writing a good story is important but not all that counts. 

Those guidelines are there to do just what the word implies. They 'guide' you through the submission process. Guidelines tell you what the publication wants and what it does not want. It's up to you to make sure your submission fits within the lines. 

We have large numbers of publications that writers can submit to, and they all offer different parameters. The range goes from absolutely none to lengthy, detailed guidelines. Some writers much prefer those publications that give no guidelines. "Don't have to deal with all that!" The problem with having nothing to help you is that your submission can come flying back with a big NO. It's possible you'll get a note from the editor explaining why, but I wouldn't count on it. If the editorial staff cannot be bothered to present writers with a set of guidelines, they are not likely to bother with telling you why your piece was rejected. 

Publications that do offer a set of guidelines vary in length and detail. Some offer a mere few lines telling you what they expect, while others give a very long, numbered list of what they want and sometimes what they do not want. 

Recently, I received an email from a friend who forwarded the Call for Submissions from Hope Clark's Funds for Writers website. Long? yes! Detailed? yes! Ms. Clark tells writers what she wants, what she does not want, then provides a list of Hints that will help them receive an acceptance. Payment is highlighted followed by a final checklist. I assume she sends out a lot of rejections because some writers were not willing to check and double-check the guidelines. 

I've often suggested Chicken Soup for the Soul as a market for writers. This anthology series offers probably the longest and most detailed guidelines of any I have seen. They tell you what kind of story they want, the type they do not want, and much more. You'll need to spend time going through the list, just as you would with the Funds for Writers noted above. 

Not only reading but studying those lengthy guidelines is to your benefit. You can benefit by checking to see if your story fits. Once you are ready to submit, go back one more time and do a checklist to see if you've covered all the bases. Doing so gives your story a much better chance. Don't follow two, three, or more of the guidelines, and your story will be tossed in a hurry which is a shame after all the hard work you put into writing it.

I much prefer the publications that give me explicit guidelines to follow. Yes, it's more work for me to check and recheck them, but it also gives me a better chance of being accepted. When I find a market that gives me no guidelines, not even a word count requirement, I find that I am not totally sure that my story fits their publication. It helps to read back issues but not always.

Are all editors curmudgeons who will toss your story for not following just one teeny-tiny requirement? I think that, if they like your story a lot, they will bend a little. It's the writers who submit without following the majority of the guidelines that they won't give a second nod to. 

Pesky as it might be, take time to read and study guidelines before you submit your work.

Poetry--Plain and Simple

I have always liked Carl Sandburg's words that grace our poster today. A few more thoughts on what poetry 'is'

Poetry is all that is worth remembering in life.   William Hazlitt

Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility. William Wordsworth

Poetry is language at its most distilled and most powerful. Rita Dove

Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words. Robert Frost

Some poets write words that intertwin complicated thoughts with metaphors and other poetic means. Some write with meaning for themselves but the reader ends up confused. Do you remember teachers in high school trying to 'tell' you what the poet was writing about, what the poet was saying? Some are beautiful but confusing to the reader.

I prefer reading what I term 'simple poetry' by which I mean poems that are clear to the reader yet still portray beauty and emotion.  An example of this kind of poetry is one titled "Remember Me" written by T. L. Needham. The poem is included in his award-winning memoir "When I Was A Child."

Remember Me

If I should ever leave you,

And forget to say goodbye,

And you know I shall not return,

Don't let it make you cry.

Just know that I had business

in a place not far away,

Yet, close enough to you,

To hear each word you pray.

And know that I am always near

Though see me you may not,

But with you just the same,

in your memory and thoughts.

And know I love you always,

So wherever you may be,

I shall always be there, too,

As long as you remember me.

(c) 2010 T. L. Needham

The poem is plain, simple, but filled with emotion. There's little here that makes you guess, and there is also a heartfelt message. The author sent me a new book he'd recently written. The title of the book is The Biscuit and Other Timely Tales. He included "Remember Me" in the form of a bookmark inside the cover. I read it, then found myself reading it again and yet another time. Perhaps it touched me because of all the losses that have occurred during this time of the pandemic. So many people who can now only 'remember' their loved ones. 

If you find yourself confused or overwhelmed by some poetry, look for the 'simple poetry' like Mr. Needham's poem above. There is lots of this kind of poetry to be found. 

 

Writers and Making Decisions

 

This quote has no name associated with it, but whoever said it is a wise person. Those of you who read my blog on a regular basis know that I have concluded many posts by saying something like 'it's up to you. or it's your decision.' 

In our writing world, we have lots of choices. Among them are:  Do I write fiction or non-fiction or stories for kids? Shall I use my real name or a pen name? Should I start with a novel? Or should I write short stories first? Can I write poetry without having studied it in college or a master's program? Do I want to emulate my favorite writers or be different? Should I submit to more than one publication at a time? Should I edit once and call it quits or keep editing? 

I could go on and on with the choices writers must make. The quote tells us that all kinds of other things in our life are not responsible for the decisions we make. I would add another thought. I do believe that we are responsible for all our decisions and choices, but some of those things listed--your parents, past relationships, jobs, the economy, or your age--enter into the choices you make. Your life experiences make you the person you are and help form the decisions you make. 

We do have many choices in our writing lives. Whether you are prone to a negative or a positive outlook makes a whale of a difference in the choices we make. 

When you are in decision mode, it helps to make two lists. One for the pluses and the other naming the minuses of whatever it is you are trying to decide. Don't just think about it, make an actual list., one you can read a number of times. Letting it flit through your mind and actually reading the list numerous times will make a big difference in the final choice you make. 

A friend might be able to help you, but in the end, making decisions or choices comes down to you and no one else. Once you've made up your mind, go with it. Don't berate yourself if the choice turns out to be a poor one. We don't all bat a thousand with our decisions. 

Writing About the Weather

 

Blizzard Conditions

Today, weather is on my mind. The wind warnings we had yesterday have now turned into blizzard warnings. In central Kansas, we are to have only a skiff of snow but still dealing with winds that are howling. East and north of us there will be small to moderate amounts of snow, 1-4 inches, but the winds will create blizzard conditions with hazardous driving all day.

When we write, weather can add a lot to a story and offer the writer choices in using description. What a shame to say 'There was a storm outside.' and then move on. The word 'storm' tells us it's not a sunny, balmy day. But there is so much more a writer can do in setting a scene. Even if the character is snug inside, you can write about what they see from a window or how the window panes were rattling. 

There have been stories or books written that actually use the weather as a character. Why? Because the weather, whatever it was, played a significant part in the story. In such a case, you'll read so much about the storm, whether snow or rain, you may feel like you're there.

Poetry lends itself well to describing the weather, both good and bad. Wonderful adjectives, similes, and metaphors abound in poems about the weather.

Here's a list of the kinds of weather you can use in your writing:

• Snowstorm
• Blizzard
• Cyclone
• Tornado
• Monsoon
• Dust Storm
• Hurricane
• Rain
• Sleet
• Ice
• Wind
• Hail
• Sunshine
• Cloudy
• Cold
• Heat

For an exercise, make a list of adjectives for each of the kinds of weather in the list above. Then write a paragraph describing one or more kinds of weather using strong adjectives. 

When you're writing a story or a personal essay where the weather is involved in some manner, make the reader see and feel that storm or brilliant sunshine or hail. Don't tell me there is a storm outside. Help me to see the trees bending close to the ground, traffic lights waving in wind, and the tattoo of heavy rain on the windows. Writing about the weather is a glorious opportunity. Make the most of it.

Writers Must Believe in Themselves

 

Our quote today is by Teddy Roosevelt. He said, "Believe you can, and you're halfway there." Considering all that he accomplished over a lifetime, he must have lived what he said. 

It sounds so easy to merely believe in yourself and then sprint right on to success. Pretty words but having confidence in yourself does not come easily for some people. Others appear to be born with the attitude of 'I can do this!' 

Life experiences definitely play a role in how we feel about ourselves. If you grew up in a family that told you over and over how dumb you were or how you could never do anything right, you'll start believing that as an adult. Teachers who belittle children's accomplishments can knock down confidence in a hurry. Those comments seem to stay in the back of your mind and pop up at times when you begin to doubt your abilities. People who fit this category have a much harder time believing in themselves. Some do it out of sheer determination, and for others, it's very difficult.

The child who grew up with parents who praised and encouraged has little trouble believing in him/herself. When you've been told you are an accomplished person, you can go right on making accomplishments. 

How do you gain the confidence needed to believe you can be a good writer? The lyrics from an old song say it well: 'accentuate the positive.' There are positives in every situation, just as there are negatives. Grab onto the positives and hold tight. Ignore the other side. 

Remind yourself often of the good parts of your writing journey. It may be something as small as feeling satisfied when you sit down at the computer and start writing something new. It could be the number of acceptances you've had or the ones that came close to being accepted. Or your passion for writing. All of those things should help you believe in yourself as a writer. Consider any and all compliments you have received from readers. That should give you a real boost.

Repeating 'I can do this!' over and over whenever self-doubt creeps in can help you come to actually trust in yourself. A speaker I heard at a meeting many years ago spoke on being able to say "I am a writer" even if you had not published. She told the group that, if you write, you ARE a writer. She went on to recommend that each person stand in front of a mirror and repeat those magic words over and over--"I am a writer." Say it often enough, and you begin to believe it.

No one else can make you believe you can be a writer. Others can give you guidance, but it's you who must believe in yourself. Then, as President Roosevelt told us--'...you're halfway there.'

Writing About Sad Happenings

 

I'm a little late with the blog post today. We had a tragedy in our small neighborhood circle, and neighbors have reached out to one another this morning. As I absorbed the sad news and then pulled up the blog, I started to think about writing about tragic events and loss. 

It's certainly not something we enjoy doing, but from experience, I do know this. Writing about sadness in our lives is one step in the healing process. Not a fix-all but one step. To be able to reveal our inner feelings helps us deal with whatever occurred. I'm not suggesting you start writing immediately after the tragedy, but do so later as you are trying to deal with grief or whatever else it's brought.

When we write about these events in our lives, we aren't necessarily looking for sympathy. Nor are we writing with the #1 purpose being to be published. Far from it. More about that later. We write to help us deal with the situation, to perhaps find some understanding. We write to leave a record for future family members to know and understand what happened. 

I've said many times that we should write our family stories, but that does not mean that we should only write about the happy things or those that were funny. Bad things happen in good families and are a part of our family history. They need to be addressed, too. 

Should you ever attempt to publish stories about sad or tragic events? Some would say that you should not, that it's a very private thing. They would want to keep it private by writing only for themselves or for close family members, and that's fine. Others would hope to publish what they'd written, after some time has gone by, to help others who might experience the same kind of sad happening. I have had several stories about a tragedy in my life published, and my aim was to help others., but it helped me, as well. I've had good responses from readers who thanked me for sharing. I could not have submitted those stories soon after the tragedy, but later it was possible for me to do so. In fact, I felt compelled to do so. 

What should you write when the topic is sad? You can use almost any form. Write a fiction story based on the event. Write a personal essay about it showing how you felt and what you learned, how you were able to move on. Poetry is a particularly good form to use, as well. Many memoirs are based on sad or tragic subjects. Writing your feelings in a journal is another way. 

Writing can soothe the sharp edges of sadness. Not right away but as time goes by and you're still dealing with it. 

A Writing Clean-Up

 

It's the twelfth day of January 2021. I have not nagged you about doing your January Clean-up. Today, I am going to get on the Nag Wagon and propose that you clean-up and clean-out all that is involved in your writing world. Work on the following as this month progresses.

YOUR DESK Right now, I am looking at my computer desk with utter disdain. How in the world did it get so messy and full of piles of this and that? The problem with it is that important notes to myself and more can get buried and lost. I don't want to find a note in June reminding myself to submit to a contest by February 1st. So, the desk is where I will begin my cleaning.

PAYMENT LIST  Go through the list of payments for stories sold in 2020. Total so that you have an amount to include in your tax preparation. Whether you have to file a separate form or not depends on the amount you made. Please check the IRS websites or with your accountant as to how you report this kind of income. If you're a full-time writer, you may have to report differently than someone who is a hobbyist writer and makes only a very small amount. 

DOCUMENTS FILE  If you keep your work in a file, such as Documents in Office, go through it one by one and delete duplications and files you know you will never need again. You may use some other program, but the idea is the same.

MANUAL FOLDERS  If you're not a person who uses a computer to its fullest and prefer to keep folders in a file drawer on your own, it's time to go through them. Sift and sort. I use both computer files and manual files. I put contracts in both my computer files and a folder in a file drawer in my desk. One way to always have a back-up. 

RECORD OF SUBMISSIONS  Do you have a record of each year's submissions? If you don't, start one for 2021. It needn't be something an accounting guru would put up for a medal. Something simple works. Put Submissions 2021 at the top of the page. Then list the following for each submission:  the date, the place submitted to, the title of a story, poem etc.  Keep it in your Documents File and add either a YES or NO by each one. Or you could use SOLD or REJECTED. I put ACCEPTED by ones that are a no-pay and SOLD if the publication pays me and a simple NO by the ones that don't make it. You can devise your own system. You can also do it manually if you feel more comfortable. But, I do urge you to learn to do more on your computer to save time and be even more organized. 

MARKETING LIST If you have a list of publications that you think fits your writing, now's the time to update it. If you don't have a list like this, you might start one. It would be nice to have that list to check when you have something new to submit somewhere but you're not sure where. 

IN WORKS  If you use Documents in Office to save your work, you might consider putting all the pieces you're working on but haven't finished, or may not have a clue as to how to finish, in a separate folder. It's easier to find them rather than scanning the entire Documents list. 

GOALS FOLDER  If you keep a record each year of the goals you have set, this is a good time to spend some time studying your goals made through the years. Mark the ones you achieved in some manner so they stand out. Make an overall assessment and then set your goals for 2021. Make the list short. Too long, and you'll slip-slide away before Valentine's Day rolls around.

If you clean up all the above, you'll have a fine start to your year. You'll also feel satisfied and ready to write throughout this new year. 

Learning to Take Criticism of Your Writing

 

Do you know anyone who revels in being criticized? Doubtful. It's something we all wish we'd never have to face. What about the criticism you receive when you submit your writing to an editor or to a writing group that you joined? We don't like that either but can benefit if we have the right attitude.

If you're fortunate enough to have an editor send a written rejection with an explanation of why your submission was not accepted, you've received something of value. Of course, you hate the rejection itself, but you can learn from what the editor tells you. Sometimes it is only one sentence or phrase, but take a good, hard look at it. How can you benefit from it before you send another submission? 

Sadly, most editors do not give an explanation of why they rejected your work. Their excuse is that they don't have the time to do that on every submission. Possibly, but it is also possible they don't enjoy rejecting your work. Were the situation reversed, I'm sure most of them would appreciate a line or two from an editor. 

Just as important if not more so, is the response you receive from someone in your writing group who has taken time to critique your work. When you look at what he/she sends you, and you see slash marks and many negative comments throughout the text, your first reaction is hurt, then maybe a little anger, and finally, acceptance. Hopefully, you do reach the acceptance stage.

Writers must learn to look at criticism of their writing as a tool for learning to become a better writer. When you join a group where you receive critiques of your work, you are saying that you are open to being told what is wrong with your submission and what you might do to make it better. If you become angry or deeply hurt every time you get a critique that shows you what is needed in your piece, then maybe you're not ready to belong to this kind of group. Sadly, you're also not ready to grow as a writer. Instead, you'll continue to make the same kinds of mistakes and face more rejections than acceptances from editors. That may sound cold, or cruel, but it's the truth as I see it.

I have known writers in groups who have stomped off in anger when their submission did not receive high praise and nothing else. It's what they saw when they read their own work, and it's what they felt they deserved. Writers like that need an attitude adjustment. 

What if you are the person doing the critiquing? I always try to find the positives in the piece I'm critiquing. I point out the places I especially like, sometimes I'll make a short list of the phrases I particularly liked. Some people who critique only highlight the places that need work, leaving an entirely negative overview. It is far better to bring both aspects to light. Those nice comments can help soothe the writer a bit. 

If you look at having your work critiqued, consider it as a help, not a hindrance. Think of it as a way to learn to be a better writer. When I was new to my online group, I started reading the critiques of more than my own work. I read what others had submitted and what was said about their work. I learned a great deal. It was better than reading a reference book or taking a class on critiquing and editing. 

Always remember that you have a personal interest in what you have submitted, whereas the person critiquing has no personal tie to the story or essay. They can look objectively whereas we who wrote whatever it is cannot. Nearly all who critique do not set out to hurt a writer. Their aim is to help.

If you want to be published, it is important to learn to accept criticism and then work to make your writing better.

New Beginnings for Writers

 

January is a time for new beginnings. We've finished with last year. Now it's time to start new things, to have a fresh look at our writing world, and to push the old problems away.

The poster quote for today mentions '...the magic of beginnings.' Do you agree that there is something special or magical about starting a brand new writing project? I love starting new things. I even enjoy turning the calendar pages at the start of a new month. There's something that feels fresh and offers a clean slate just waiting for us to fill it.

Starting something new is a mood lifter. I can hear some of you saying 'But it also brings problems. Like how am I going to start this new project? And can I say in print what is in my head? And....?' Of course, there will be small hurdles to jump over, but isn't that part of the writing game? Instead of problems or hurdles, consider them as challenges. It might be easier to deal with challenges than the others. 

Writers are either planners or pansters--those who outline and plan a new writing project in detail and those who write by the seat of their pants letting an idea grow as they go. It doesn't matter which way you begin a new project. I am definitely a panster. Once I have an idea, I start writing and let it lead me. Do what works best for you. Either way, consider a new writing project this month.

Another new beginning some writers can embrace is a change of attitude. If you're one to look on the negative side of things, work on becoming more positive. It's a new year. Leave the old you behind. 

What if you're a procrastinator? This new year is one that can be the beginning of changing that. Don't put off til tomorrow what you can do today. I find that if I delay a day or two, it's much easier to let it slide for even more days. I learned that about myself a very long time ago and decided to address whatever it was right away. 

Embrace the new year by beginning a fresh writing project. Look for the magic it might bring.

Choose Hope Over Despair

 

Our photo today shows us two roads we can take. Choose the one that offers the best outcome. It doesn't take much to realize that Hope is the road to take. With the pandemic and other world situations we've faced the last year, I think the road of Hope is our only choice.. But you all know I am one who accentuates the positives in life. 

As writers, we all have hope that our submissions will make it past a gaggle of editors and end up in a publication of some kind. When nothing comes in return from an editor, not even a form rejection, it's kind of difficult to continue to hope that your piece will be published. 

I'm here to tell you not to despair. I've had two instances in the past six months when an unexpected acceptance arrived long, and I do mean long, after submission. Both surprised me in a very nice way.

Last summer, I received an email from an editor saying they had received two stories I had sent and might possibly publish one of them. Then added that it was only a maybe. I checked my records to see when I had submitted the stories and found it had been a year and a half. Never a word from them in all that time. They sent me a 3-page form to fill out but said that it was not confirmation my story would be published. I dutifully filled out the form and returned it as instructed. More time went by and one day an email arrived saying that they had decided to publish my story, but they added once again that it might be pulled at the last minute. The end of the story is that it was published and a nice check arrived soon after. 

This week, I received an email telling me that a story of mine would appear in an anthology coming out soon. When I noted the story title, I checked to see when I had submitted. Turned out to be November 2019. I had never heard one word from the editor until the final acceptance yesterday. 

I remember a friend in a writing group many years ago telling us she had heard from Highlights magazine that an article she had submitted many years before would be published. I seem to remember the number 9 in considering the number of years. If not 9, it was close to that. Surely my friend had written it off, but her story appeared soon after the acceptance letter arrived. 

These three stories illustrate that when you don't hear from an editor about something you submitted, there is still a glimmer of hope. If you do get a written rejection, that's another story. When acceptance comes long after submission, it's a wonderful surprise and a great boost to your writing self. And no, it doesn't happen on a regular basis, but it does happen. 

Hope means there is always a possibility that something good will occur. Don't travel down the muddy road of Despair which only drags you down. 

Trouble Writing? You've Got Company!

 

Does this poster quote make you want to laugh? It might at first reading, but read it again and maybe once more. You might start taking it more seriously.

If writing was easy without any glitches, everyone would be a writer. Can you imagine the competitiveness in trying to get published?  Maybe it's a good thing that writing is not a smooth slide down a ski hill. When we hit problem areas and then overcome them, we certainly appreciate having done so more than if we hadn't needed to work hard. 

There are degrees to most all things. Some writers will face more trouble in writing than others. I think I can safely say that we all tend to run into a brick wall now and then. If it's only occasional, consider yourself fortunate. Those writers who have more than the average amount of trouble but still keep writing are dedicated and persevere. I applaud each one. 

When you have a writer friend who is having difficulties, what do you do? Sit back and smirk because you've been there but had to work it out on your own? Or do you offer to take a look at the problem the other writer is having and offer some advice (if they are willing)? When I have a story or essay that just doesn't seem to be working, I go to my online critique group for help. More times than not, they can 'see' the problem immediately because they are looking with objective eyes. Never hesitate to ask for help from either one writer friend or your group.

When that 'trouble writing' situation comes up, have you learned to walk away for a day or two or more? It often allows you to find a solution the next time you read your draft. When you try to do it in the middle of writing, you're often too involved to see clearly. Take a break. It can help.

Have you ever worked on a story until you're blue in the face trying to figure out a better way to say in print what you already feel in your head and your heart? Sometimes translating from our inner writer to the real writer is very difficult. There are times when we are better off putting a draft in a file and forgetting about it. Move on to something new. Have you ever pulled out one of those old drafts and started working on it again? If you haven't, you should. Months, or even years, later, you may perceive it in a completely different way. Never destroy work that is giving you trouble. Save it for later, maybe much later.

Yes, every writer has some kind of trouble in his/her writing world. You're not alone. In fact, you have a great deal of company. It's all part of the writing journey, but how you deal with it is of great importance, too. Use some patience, ingenuity, and toss in a little humor now and then. 

Fill the First Blank Page With Writing Goals

 

It's the fifth day of January 2021, and blank pages are calling out to writers, both you and me. The photo today shows a clean slate surrounded by rose petals. Can you imagine the lovely scent? What should you put on this blank page and the others behind it? 

The early part of a new year is always a good time to set some goals in your writing life. I can hear a few of you saying 'I did that last year and the year before, why bother doing it all over again?' Even if you set the same, or many of the same goals, each year, it's like having a road sign to guide you to wherever you're headed. 

And yes, some of the goals will be the same each January, but there might be others that you can add this year. Maybe you've never written a novel and you'd like to give it a try this year. A new goal. Or perhaps you've never been very good at submitting your work for possible publication. Doing better at submitting what you write could be another new goal.

Here's a list of possible goals you might set:

1. Set a time to write and stick to it
2. Use writing time wisely
3. Write something in a new genre
4. Get published 
5. Submit at least one piece of writing a month
6. Join a critique group
7. Go to a writers' conference
8. Read one book a month about writing
9. Stay positive about writing life
10. Do a better job of editing and revising
11. Study markets
12. A set number of words each day, week, or month

My list is only a partial one. You can probably find others that suit your individual needs. I've listed a dozen goals. Is that too many? Not enough? 

When setting goals, you want to be realistic. Writing a lengthy list that sounds wonderful but you will not accomplish is a waste of time. How about selecting three from my list, or three of the ones you think of? While twelve may seem overwhelming, three seem doable. Put your list somewhere visible to you on a daily basis. That might help you stay on track. 

If you're not good at achieving goals, why not try two or even one for this year? Then work towards it diligently. 

What happens if you set a list of goals but don't accomplish them by the end of the year? No one but you is going to know your goals unless you choose to share them. If you don't meet the goal, the world will not collapse. A goal is merely something you hope to achieve, something to aim for, and something to keep in mind as you write throughout 2021. 

You'll probably see a lot of articles this month on goal setting for writers. If there are so many, doesn't that make it clear that having one or more writing goals is of some importance? 

Ernestine--A Tale of Love, Honor, and Intrigue

 

Historical fiction brings the reader into another time period and can also tell a special story. Ernestine is Kate Reynolds's debut novel, but she is no amateur when it comes to crafting a fascinating story that draws readers quickly and holds them right up to the end using beautiful and descriptive prose.

 When only a child in the early 1500s, Ernestine learned how to cheat at betting games and became a fine bunco artist at her father's tutelage. Once a young woman, she marries the man she loves, helps him run an inn in France, and is happy being nothing more than a loving wife. When Sebastian dies, she flees with documents he and his brother had hidden, documents that could be world-changing. 

Ernestine takes the vows of a Clarissa nun and finds her way to an abbey in Spain near Granada. She knows she is being followed by a man who wants the documents she carried away. Hoping for safety in the abbey, she hides the documents but finds one problem after another amongst the 90 nuns. The Abbess is a kindly woman whose greatest love is caring for the olive groves the abbey owns. Keeping the accounts book is beyond her, and when she learns that Ernestine can work with figures, she begs the new nun to take over the Accounts Book. Reluctant to do so because of a problem with an account book in her past that might have led to her husband's death Ernestine demurs but is finally persuaded. 

Add to the story a priest who plays a betting game with Mother Faviola every week, always winning, a young novitiate who is hopelessly in love with a young man, a festival and parade which the Abbey has always won but is suddenly in peril, and Ernestine mixed up in all of it, and you have a very fine novel.

Taking place at the time of the Great Trials, or Inquisition, we see the effect on the everyday world of those whose vocation is often riddled with fear. 

The supporting characters in the novel are realistic and also of interest to the reader. In particular, Luz, the oldest nun who is blind, draws Ernestine's story from her as they work together in the cellary bit by bit and relates many of her own. As they work with the abbey's foodstuffs in a series of caves, Luz tells Ernestina the Spanish term 'pundonor' which means 'point of honor' and is an integral part of Ernestine's story.

 I enjoyed learning more about this period in history where no nun or priest was protected from the Inquisition. I found the nun's language of the fans fascinating as well as the beauty of the Alhambra surrounding the nuns who toiled in the olive groves and merely subsisted rather than thrived. 

This is a many-faceted tale that has much more than what I have written here. Unpeel the many layers as you read. Find it on Amazon with both a Kindle edition and a paperback. I look forward to reading more novels by Kate Reynolds.